Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1887-01-08
THE PENIrENTIARY HORROR
AN INTERVIEW WITH A pR1soNpD
RECENTLY LIBERATED FROM
THE INSTITUTION.

In view of the recent DISCLOSURE
through the press of the State con
corning ernelties practiced on the
prisoners. in the Moundsville peni
Tertiary by Superintendent Peek
the testimony of prisoner recently
liberated will be of interest to on,
readers. The prisoner interviewed
is not a hardened character and his
crime against the law partook of the
nature of misfortune; moreoye,
the man is observant and intelligent
aud his occupation while in the in.
stitution was such as gave him am.
pie opportunity to see exactly what
was going on. His story is one Of
interest.
He told the PRESS that when 10
first went to the pen, during Super.
intendent Brides term, the modes Of
punishment then in vogue, we're the
dark cell, the boil rings and the shoe.
fly. These instruments of torture
were used during the terms of West
aud Bridge, and for about months
after Peck came into the Office. The
bull rings. by which man is sus-
pended by the thumbs and wrists
was the most painful and frequently
men were strung up two or three
times in one day, and their cries
were horrible. On several occasions
after men had undergone heavy
punishment in the bull rings tbev
would die within two or three DAYS
afterward. One boy who was sent
up from Parkersburg, and who died
over a year ago, was punished many
times.
The kicking jenny" was heard
ofin the penitentiary after Surpern.
tendent Peck came in. 1t was in.
troduced by Captain Wilkinson, who
got the idea in the Columbus pen
Tertiary. 1t was made for him bya
prisoner named ii. II. Farnsworth,
who was sent from Wood county
for bigamy and who was in the car
penter shop. 1t was a barbarous
arrangement, but it does not kill
men, so that after that the bull rings
and shoefly were abandoned, and
the men were punished in the kick
ing jenny. Superintendent Peek
has whipped many of the cOnvics
in the kicking jenny, but | have
known him to mark their bodies, bat
Wilkinson beat several of the men
up badly.
+" It is no use telling" said the
man, "that none of these punish
ments are resorted to for | have
seen them day in and day out
There are several of the guards who
we're very severe aud who would
report men and have them whipped
every day in the week if they tOOka
dislike to them, but the principal
blame attaches to the contractors,
who are but little than murderersin
many instances. They report the
men under them because they donO
finish tasks which it was impossible
to do. | have seen men in the whip
shop punished every day for a week,
because they could not do Their
task of plating the whips when
their hands were raw and bloody
from the rubbing of the leather Il
the men only got stitch wrong 10
whip they we're punished. Some oftle
convicts have suffered the toTments
of the damned aud sometimes when
| sleep at night | fancy can hear
the poor fellows shrek and groan.
But all this talk against superIn
dent Peck is not just. He is better
to the men than any former superb
tendent and they will tell you so. JIG
purchased the men tobacco with DIS
cash when the Board would not alop
it to them. He gave them better 1000
than they ever had before, and Ehe'
a man was ill he allowed him TO "
given extra food. myself Da''
heard him declare to the contractor
when they were trying to get bic
whip some poor devil that ~
would not do it, and that they shoua
not be abused in such sbanelu
manner. One OF the worst men .
the conyicts was Captain Lowe, WV
is since dead. Then Wilkinson, hN
cum, Davis and others in the ofu''
named. This is the truth oil u"
matter. OF course you can ma O''
nothing By going to the pen Nv
workmen from the outside are '"V''
never to talk about what goes -
inside, the prisoners are all alra'u~
say anything and when anyone o."
everything is peaceful and qus.
But any OF the liberated con%
will tell you exactly what | have
PaYkersbuyg Press.
DIR. w. Ell. Hale, an EdlpDus